You start a business and naturally want to do well, and then a big, awesome but scary opportunity comes your way. Do you go for it? The founders of Banan decided to do just that, and next month they will open a third location for their unique frozen treats at none other than the Royal Hawaiian Center.

“We’ve been pretty excited,” said co-owner Matt Hong. “We didn’t quite see ourselves being in Waikiki this early, but an opportunity presented itself and we decided to take it.”

The space formerly occupied by Waikiki Beach Cafe is along a pedestrian beach-access lane on the Diamond Head side of the Cheesecake Factory. The 200-square-foot space will be a grab-and-go location.

It doesn’t have street frontage, but it’s right by the surfboard racks, Hong said.

“We’re really excited. This is the closest we’ve ever been to the beach … and we’re right in the center of Waikiki.”

Banan is a banana-based frozen soft-serve, like ice cream but without dairy. The treat itself and all but one of the toppings are vegan, but omnivores rave about the product at both its Monsarrat Avenue truck and its University Avenue storefront. Flavors all include banana but additionally include variations with acai, chocolate-macadamia nut, green tea, greens (ginger, mint, spirulina and kale), lilikoi and roots (beets, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric).

Toppings include granola, puffed quinoa, bee pollen, papaya, strawberries, mac-nut honey butter and local dark chocolate, just to name a few. The only nonvegan topping is honey, Hong said.

That Banan Honey will be specially packaged as Royal Hawaiian Center omiyage (a gift for family and friends at home) and sold at the new spot.

Regular ice cream shops offer the option of edible cones and bowls; Banan’s take on an edible bowl is half a papaya filled with soft-serve and toppings.

Prices start at $4 for an un-topped cup and go up to $15, depending on toppings added. The best-seller is the Riss Bowl, named after pro surfer Carissa Moore, who is engaged to co-founder Luke Untermann, Hong said. The other co-founders are Zak Barry and Galen McCleary.

Whatever isn’t eaten by customers, such as banana peels and fruit trimmings, will be eaten by pigs at one of the farms that Banan supplies, or used as compost in a local garden, making the business not just farm-to-table, but also table-to-farm.

“Immediately when we dove into the business, we wanted to be conscious of our waste stream,” Hong said. “We feel that’s something necessary for any business, and we at first dreamed of composting everything on our own but quickly did the math on that, and that’s way beyond what we’re able to do.”

Gregg Fraser, executive director of the Hawaii Restaurant Association, wishes the partners well.

Any industry needs such young, creative entrepreneurs on one side and the veterans, mentors and legends on the other, Fraser said.

Having owned a business in Waikiki, “I can tell you that Waikiki is challenging and exciting,” Fraser said — challenging in terms of the cost to operate, “exciting in the sense of the amount of foot traffic there, as opposed to at a food truck or a fixed brick-and-mortar location on University Avenue,” he said.

“As long as they can find you, you’re going to do huge numbers.”

Fraser said he applauds Banan’s owners “for growing a business in a very, what we consider, tough environment.” In 20 years they will be the mentors, he said.

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